The MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) electrostatic rotational actuators have wide applications such as in optical shutter, optical chopper, optical switches, optical attenuators, optical tunable filter, RF shunt switch, RF ohmic contact switch, RF MEMS variable capacitors and MEMS display panel and photo diode detection array, spectrometer, printer and scanner etc.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,275,320, 6,775,048 disclosed the MEMS variable optical attenuator/optical modulator using a thermal actuator, which consumes significant electrical power and generate over 600 degree Celsius on the silicon expansion beams; U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,751,395, 6,816,295, 6,996,306 and 7,129,617 disclosed the MEMS variable optical attenuator/switch using an electrostatic actuator, which can only generate very limited actuator displacement.